Let’s talk SEO: How to Boost Your Blog Post

So you started a blog or are looking for ways to boost your blog post SEO (Search Engine Optimization).

In Part 1 of my SEO Series, we’ll cover my top 5 tips to optimize your blog post to improve your Google ranking.

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Read through the points below to better optimize your Squarespace blog posts.

1. content

   The way your content is structured is very important to the SEO of your site. You want your user experience to be as enjoyable as possible. So make your content easy to digest. Here are some quick tips!

   • Scannable content is great. Like this post, using lists is great. Numbering or bullet pointing your content keeps things simple.

   • Using bold and italics draws the viewer’s eye to that content.

   • Stylized headers! Use headers to make important segments.

   • Simplify and shorten your sentences to get straight to the point.

   • If you can make graphics, use them to your advantage. Graphics and photos convey information quickly. Just make sure to name your images! More on that below

   • Include an except. Summarize your post into a few sentences and place that in the excerpt section of your blog post. This will help with how your post is viewed on a search engine and for search-ability purposes. Blog > Edit Post > Options > Excerpt

2. links

   Having links in your post is as important as Keywords. Use links to your advantage. There are a few types of links, Backlink or Deep link, External Link, and Affiliate Links to name a few.

   • Backlinks/Deep are used to link one piece of content to another piece from your site. These internal links have a positive impact on your ranking. Use these throughout your site. For instance, if you are writing a blog post and can link to a past one, link them!

   • External Links are used to link articles or outside resources to each other. Use these to link another site to yours or link your other web endeavors together.

   • Tip if you are linking to an external site, make sure to set your link to open in a new window. This way when someone clicks the external link your site will remain open.

3. images

   Optimize your images, if your blog post features images, make sure to compress your images and name them. Do not skip this feature. When you are uploading your image to Squarespace, you can rename them to compliment your keywords.

   • Reduce the size of your images: If your image file size is too large, they will slow down the loading of your site.

   • Keep your file sizes around 72 dpi, 500kb for banner / large images and smaller for other images. (If you are visual artist, resize your artwork to an appropriate dpi/size without obscuring your work)

4. keywords

   For a better chance of ranking higher in Search Engines, keywords are king! The more relevant words or phrases you use, you may better match with what someone may be searching for.

   • Try repeating words/ phrases that pertain to your post without being too redundant. Make sure to keep the flow of your post without negatively impacting how your post reads.

   • Keep these keywords and phrases in mind and put them in your title, subtitles, headers, URL slug, and excerpts.

5. share

   How shareable is your post? It is important to make sure your URL slug contains the keywords and phrases you’ve used in your post. To keep things simple, try keeping your URL Slug the same or a variation of your Blog Post title.

   • To find your URL slug Blog > Edit Post> Options > Post URL

   • URL tip: The standard blog slug is formatted Year / Month /Day / Post Title, I prefer to shorten URL slugs as much as possible for Search Engines. So I keep my Post URL Format to just Title (%t)

   • Squarespace has built-in social share buttons, use these to your advantage. By making it easy for someone to share your post on Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, they are more likely to share your post if it moves them.

   • Pinterest - When you have finalized your post and are ready to share it, make sure to share your post on Pinterest. Squarespace makes this easy. This is a great built-in feature. Basically, when you publish your post, Squarespace will automatically pin your post for you to your Pinterest feed. Blog > Edit Post> Share > Toggle on Pinterest
     

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